StepStone hires Taylor Benson to head new US retirement business

StepStone Group Inc. (NASDAQ: STEP) announced Taylor Benson has joined as Head of U.S. Defined Contribution to lead the firm's expansion into retirement plan services focused on private markets investments.

Benson joins from BlackRock, where she spent over seven years and most recently served as Managing Director and Head of the East Coast Institutional Defined Contribution Team. She previously worked as a Principal at Galliard Capital Management, leading new business development and consultant relations.

The new business unit will help retirement plan fiduciaries evaluate and implement private markets exposure within defined contribution plans. The initiative addresses growing interest among retirement plan sponsors in alternative investments while maintaining fiduciary standards.

"Retirement challenges have become more acute, and fiduciaries are increasingly focused on solutions that improve outcomes, not just access," Benson said in the company's announcement. "Private markets can play a constructive role in retirement portfolios when implemented thoughtfully within a disciplined fiduciary framework."

StepStone plans to develop collective investment trust structures across private equity, infrastructure, and private debt specifically for retirement plans. The firm's approach emphasizes diversification across managers, vintages, sectors, and regions rather than single fund exposure.

Brett Schlemovitz, Partner and President of StepStone Private Wealth, said recent advances in product design and regulation have created clearer paths for integrating private markets into retirement programs.

The private markets investment firm manages approximately $220 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2025, with total capital responsibility of about $811 billion, according to the press release.

You May Also Be Interested In

• SpaceX files for 555.56M share IPO at $135/sh
• Genco Shipping urges shareholders to reject Diana's $24.80 takeover bid
• FG Merger II sets stockholder vote on BOXABL merger for June 9